Based on the novel by Gene Stratton-Porter.


This movie is part of the collection: Feature Films

Director: Jack Hively
Audio/Visual: sound, black & white
Keywords: Gene Stratton-Porter

Creative Commons license: Public Domain Mark 1.0

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Reviewer: MVerdoux - - April 18, 2012
Subject: The misguidedness of Moongleam
There was nothing vicious and especially not mindless about revealing a trust that was broken. The uploader broke that trust - plain and simple.

My colleague who made this transfer of LADDIE from his own print (trusting it's private use to three) has asked to respond to 'Moongleam' as follows:

Uploading low-resolution copies of material at archive.org is not a way of preserving films. Neither is the practice of uploading books a replacement for the books themselves. It may be useful, but it's not a preservation. I intend no slam at the wonderful service archive.org is. Google isn't a replacement for librarians, either.

LADDIE is preserved at The Library of Congress and a pristine 35mm print exists that anyone can rent out. The original camera negative survives. It is not in danger of going away. There are two senses of the word "own" here: in one sense I do not own the intellectual rights to these films, because they have expired rights. In another sense, I may in fact own the best surviving prints of them.

I need prove to no one that I stand for preservation and availability of films. I have donated films to every major archive, and I'm an archive source for TV and DVD. Many films from my collection have already been bootlegged and appear here for free, often in embarrassingly poor copies. I was not provided any remuneration for the hundreds of hours I put in preserving these films, transferring them, and making them projectable. Many of these are films that I preserved myself and would not have been available had I not rescued them.

The vast majority of films in my collection are not marketable and few people care enough to see them. Those rare titles, like LADDIE, which have some stars and some local interest, help to bankroll my other preservation efforts of less marketable films. When a film is free on the internet, it drastically cuts down the audience that will pay to see it projected theatrically. I have run this print of Laddie all over the US.

I'd be happy to make more films available on archive.org, and even make good direct-from-film transfers of them. When someone comes up with a way for me to do so without compromising both my means of income and my ability to preserve films, I'll do it. The gas man needs to be paid, even if he may agree that what I do is cool and worthwhile.

Perhaps you still feel that I should be ashamed, but I am not, because I've done more for film preservation and availability than most people you will ever meet.

Reviewer: Moongleam - - April 5, 2012
Subject: The lies of MVerdoux
A digital copy of this public-domain film has been available for months in the binary newsgroup alt.binaries.multimedia.vintage-film. Click here.

There is no copyright on this movie. No one owns it. No one has the right to keep others from watching it.

Anyone who has a digital copy can---and should---share it with others.

MVerdoux is the one who should be ashamed for viciously and mindlessly attacking the uploader.

Another who should be ashamed is MVerdoux's friend, who attempted to keep this film out of the hands of the public, and who, by so doing, increased the likelihood that the film would be lost forever.

Ironically, by posting his attack MVerdoux has brought this movie to the attention of many who will now download it.

Reviewer: cj44tj - - November 6, 2011
Subject: A breath of fresh air!
What a wonderful story. The casting for this was perfect and this is a film I will recommend to all my family and friends. This is a good clean fun movie. Thank you!!!

Reviewer: picfixer - - June 19, 2011
Subject: Homespun Hollywood
This is the third screen adaptation of Gene Stratton-Porter's sentimental novel of postcolonial farm life. It boasts a superb cast led by Tim Holt, Virginia Gilmore and Joan Carroll. Joan Leslie (billed as Joan Brodel) and Peter Cushing appear in minor roles. Every cast member is right on the mark, but you are most likely to remember nine-year-old Joan Carroll's captivating performance as Little Sister. She steals every scene she's in, and she's in almost every scene.

The production values are excellent, though typical of '40s Hollywood inaccurate when it comes to costuming. Fine cinematography and Jack Hively's precise direction move the story along in a seamless flow. The result is a well-crafted, sentimental charmer. Highly recommended

The complete print is a bit soft, but otherwise in excellent condition.

CAST NOTES: Joan Leslie never quite reached the star status her looks and talent seemed to warrant. However she did have a long career (1936 - 1991) during which she appeared in 66 productions. For me her most memorable performances were in "High Sierra" and "Sergeant York."

Joan Carroll was one of innumerable child actors whose careers abruptly ended when they reached adolescence. She did appear in 17 films, and gave another outstanding performance in "Tomorrow, the World!" (1944)

GENE STRATTON-PORTER NOVELS: Six of her novels including "Laddie" are available as free audio books through the following link.

http://www.archive.org/details/librivoxaudio

Reviewer: I_loved_this movie! - - June 18, 2011
Subject: A True Blue Story
Laddie was Gene Stratton-Porter's remembrance of her own childhood. Little Sister was the author, and Laddie was her oldest brother. Her books are most well known in Indiana, where she lived most of her life. You might like to look for her books in the library.

Reviewer: kareneliot - - June 17, 2011
Subject: I wish I had a "Little Sister"
They got it all wrong... they should have named this one "LITTLE SISTER" instead of "LADDIE" because everyone in this delightful, wholesome charmer plays their scene as a secondary character to "Little Sister".

I would have lost my interest in this film early on (lackluster storyline, but well acted by likable characters) if I weren't so entertained by Little Sister's facial expressions, amused by her quick quips, and intrigued by what she was going to do next to make sure everything turns out just right for everyone. Joan Carroll is absolutely adorable in this, and steals the show.